[194] On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling among the Koḷiyas, where there is a town of the Koḷiyas named Sāpuga. Then a number of Koḷiya sons from Sāpuga approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, they paid homage to the Venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side. As they sat to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said to those Koḷiya sons of Sāpuga:
"Byagghapajjas, there are these four factors of striving for purity (pārisuddhipadhāniyaṅga) that have been rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation (soka, parideva), for the passing away of pain and grief (dukkha, domanassa), for the attainment of the true way (ñāya), and for the realization of Nibbāna. What four? The factor of striving for purity of virtue, the factor of striving for purity of mind (citta), the factor of striving for purity of view, and the factor of striving for purity of liberation.
"And what, Byagghapajjas, is the factor of striving for purity of virtue? Here, Byagghapajjas, a bhikkhu is virtuous … he trains himself, having undertaken the training rules. This, Byagghapajjas, is called purity of virtue. The desire, the effort, the exertion, the enthusiasm, the unflagging persistence, the mindfulness, and the clear comprehension therein, [thinking:] 'I shall fulfil such purity of virtue where it is not yet fulfilled, or where it is fulfilled I shall support it with wisdom in this and that instance' — this, Byagghapajjas, is called the factor of striving for purity of virtue.
"And what, Byagghapajjas, is the factor of striving for purity of mind? Here, Byagghapajjas, a bhikkhu, secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. This, Byagghapajjas, is called purity of mind. The desire, the effort, the exertion, the enthusiasm, the unflagging persistence, the mindfulness, and the clear comprehension therein, [thinking:] 'I shall fulfil such purity of mind where it is not yet fulfilled, or where it is fulfilled I shall support it with wisdom in this and that instance' — this, Byagghapajjas, is called the factor of striving for purity of mind.
"And what, Byagghapajjas, is the factor of striving for purity of view? Here, Byagghapajjas, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: 'This is suffering (dukkha)' … he understands as it really is: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' This, Byagghapajjas, is called purity of view. The desire, the effort, the exertion, the enthusiasm, the unflagging persistence, the mindfulness, and the clear comprehension therein, [thinking:] 'I shall fulfil such purity of view where it is not yet fulfilled, or where it is fulfilled I shall support it with wisdom in this and that instance' — this, Byagghapajjas, is called the factor of striving for purity of view.
"And what, Byagghapajjas, is the factor of striving for purity of liberation? A noble disciple (ariyasāvaka), Byagghapajjas, who possesses this factor of striving for purity of virtue, who possesses this factor of striving for purity of mind, and who possesses this factor of striving for purity of view, detaches his mind from things that provoke lust and liberates his mind in things wherein it should be liberated. Having detached his mind from things that provoke lust, having liberated his mind in things wherein it should be liberated, he touches right liberation (sammāvimutti). This, Byagghapajjas, is called purity of liberation. The desire, the effort, the exertion, the enthusiasm, the unflagging persistence, the mindfulness, and the clear comprehension therein, [thinking:] 'I shall fulfil such purity of liberation where it is not yet fulfilled, or where it is fulfilled I shall support it with wisdom in this and that instance' — this, Byagghapajjas, is called the factor of striving for purity of liberation.
"These, Byagghapajjas, are the four factors of striving for purity that have been rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and grief, for the attainment of the true way, and for the realization of Nibbāna."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.